80 Prospects in 80 Days: BYU QB Zach Wilson

Each day leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, we will take a look at prospects that should be on the Carolina Panthers' radar. We will look at roughly eleven prospects per round to give a better idea of potential draftees beyond just the first round.

Here's our schedule for the next 80 days:

1st Round: Feb. 8th - Feb. 21st

2nd Round: Feb. 22nd - Mar. 6th

3rd Round: Mar. 7th - Mar. 18th

4th Round: Mar 19th - Mar. 29th

5th Round: Mar. 30th - Apr. 8th

6th Round: Apr. 9th - Apr. 18th

7th Round: Apr. 19th - Apr. 28th

Prospect No. 2: QB Zach Wilson

College: BYU

Height: 6'3" Weight: 210 lbs

Draft range: Top 10

Analysis: Wilson came out of nowhere in 2020 and saw his draft stock soar week after week by putting up big numbers. What scares a lot of people off of Wilson is the fact that he was a late bloomer and didn't face the toughest of competition in his senior year. With that said, he did play extremely well against Central Florida in Boca Raton Bowl tossing for 425 yards and three touchdowns on 26 of 34 passing. Wilson also rushed for two scores in the game.

It's no secret that Wilson will not be an immediate impact player and will likely have to sit and learn as he develops. Wilson can evade pressure with ease and throws extremely well on the move. His accuracy seems to be there in all three levels of the field and has great touch on his downfield throws. The only thing I see that needs to improve is his decision making when under pressure and getting the ball out a notch faster when under duress.

Don't let the level of competition and the fact that he has only one productive year fool you. Wilson has all the intangibles to be a solid NFL starting quarterback.

Inside analysis from Casey Lundquist of CougsDaily on Sports Illustrated

The best way to describe Zach Wilson is by using the cliches that you hear too often nowadays: he has the arm talent, he can throw off-platform, and he possesses the type of work ethic that you look for in a franchise QB. Like I said, those terms are used too often, but those are the reasons he has soared up NFL Draft boards. The intriguing thing about Zach Wilson is that he is only scratching the surface of his potential. He beat out an experienced senior midway through his true freshman season. A shoulder surgery and thumb injury derailed his sophomore season, then he had a fantastic junior season. All in all, he only played two years of college football. If he lands in the right situation in the NFL, he has the potential to be a long-term starting QB.

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